I recently saw the movie American Sniper. I wasn’t certain about wanting to see the “horrors of war”, a recent one no less, but I became interested in seeing it since I saw Bradley Cooper interviewed by Charlie Rose. I was intrigued by Bradley Cooper and by his story of Chris Kyle’s life story. And, this film was directed by Clint Eastwood, so, it was a must see.

Now I have to tell you, Clint Eastwood’s politics are as far from mine as New York is from Los Angeles; totally different. But, I respect him as being a phenomenal actor and director. I was interested in the “politics” Eastwood would present. What I saw though, was a compassionate story, albeit violent, of a man’s duty and his conscience pertaining to his deeds as a sniper, a husband, and a father.

In this film, you not only see “Chris” as an excellent marksman, but you see a man hell bent on the need to protect his men, country and family from terrorism. Keeping the war in the Middle-East’s backyard was his goal. However, to “Chris”, coming home looked scarier at times, than actually fighting the enemy. He was taught to be an aggressor, to take out bad people. To live a peaceful life at home seemed counter-intuitive to his mission in life, his job. Eventually he merged his two lives by taking care of injured (physically and mentally) Veterans.

Watching “Chris’s” struggle to go from war hero and killer to husband, father and helping veterans was astounding. The insight this film gave to the gravity of the human cost of war is akin to seeing a hideous open wound heal, but knowing the ugly scars and some of the pain will always be there.

Bradley Cooper is an exceptional actor. I felt I was in his predicament as the Chris Kyle character. I was elated to see a film where the acting and the story line compliment one another so well. I believe Bradley Cooper will win the Academy Award for Best Actor for two reasons; his ability to get into the skin of a person and play them spot on, and secondly to get us, the audience, into Chris Kyle’s skin and let us know what it is like being a sharp shooter, or sniper Navy Seal, family man and a Veteran is all about.